Q&A with Charles Woodson

Following the Nnamdi Asomugha retirement press conference, I stepped into a hallway for a short interview with safety Charles Woodson. The following is a transcription:

Q: You don’t any part of a retirement press conference, do you?

Woodson: Not yet. Not yet.

Q: But does it make you think about it at least?

Woodson: I was just telling (Nnamdi), sitting up there, being up there with him, you know that day is coming. When he said that it was hard for him to say the retirement word, I know I’m going to feel the same way. But for me, mentally I’m not there. If I was mentally ready to go . . .

Q: That’s what Nnamdi was talking about, having some doubts about playing . . .

Woodson: Yeah. Chances are it’s time to sit it down then, but I ain’t there.

Q: You’ve played a ton of snaps, played almost every practice snap and every training camp snap. There was a question coming in whether you would hold up physically at age 37 . . .

Woodson: I think it says that a lot of people don’t know what they’re talking about as far as my health, my legs. I know all the talk was, his legs aren’t going to hold up. He can’t run any more. Of course I had the collarbone, but collarbones heal. I hurt it two times and it was kind of freakish, the way it happened. But as far as me being able to go out there and do everything I’ve normally done, I can do all of those things and that’s really part of the reason why I say I want to come back and play another one because I don’t feel what a lot of people feel at this point in time in their career, I don’t feel that yet. I know I’ll know. But I don’t just yet.

Q: You’ve got one interception, scored a touchdown, but do you feel you’re playing up to a Charles Woodson standard of performance?

Woodson: I play safety, I play free, almost exclusively been in the post. My whole career I’ve been at corner or I’ve been nickel, I’ve been down in the box. So there was a lot of other things I was doing that affects games. But I think if you look at exclusively playing the free safety position, I think kind of the way you measure it is look at the other free safeties in the NFL and just ask yourself if I compare. I think that’s kind of the way you do it. This is my first time ever being exclusively a free safety. Now I do feel like I’ve left some plays out there on the field. I just don’t feel like I’ve made enough plays.

Q: You feel that way every year, don’t you?

Woodson: I think you’d feel like that anyway. Yeah, you know, one interception, a touchdown, that was great, but I feel like I’ve left a lot of plays out there on the field and I think a part of that is me really, really transitioning at being a safety.

Q: So at this point in your career you’re still learning?

Woodson: Still learning. To me, that’s the great part about it. I feel like I’m better than most safeties right now. And I feel I’ll get better before I ever get worse.

Q: Still love playing as much as ever?

Woodson: Forget about it. Know what I’m saying? I love it.

Q: You’ve been pretty clear in your belief that the current regime should stay intact . . .

Woodson: I think looking at circumstances. I think over the past couple of years what they’ve done with the team in trying to get into a position where in the offseason they’ll be able to bring in more pieces, a lot more cap space, and those sort of things. I think you almost think you’d give a guy a chance to bring in some more pieces that he thinks he needs to get it done.

Q: You’ve been on Raider teams before that have faded, is this feeling the same?

Woodson: It is now. It’s like that in the sense that this is the last game of the season and up until three, four weeks ago, we could still win and this could happen and that could happen. Now it’s, this is the last game, the season’s going to be over. There’s no playoffs, that’s out of the question. So there’s almost a natural feeling of, `ahh’ here we go again with this. Especially for the guys that have been here. But that’s natural. You can’t get away from that. There’s a lot of other teams going through that same thing right now.

Q: Do you think the fact that McKenzie and Allen are seeking guys that are serious, that love football, will pay off at some point?

Woodson: I think it is going to pay off. I think just a little bit of success that we had this year. The support from the fans and some of these guys that never played here as a Raider and going out there in that Coliseum. That Sunday night game against San Diego, that was special. IF we can et the team where it needs to be and we can get that all the time with those fans knowing we got a shot at the playoffs, I think those guys understand it’s going to be like no other place you’re going to play.

Q: Have you had discussions with Reggie about coming back?

Woodson: I’ve made mention. I’ve told you guys in the media and brushed up against Reggie and let him know. So we’re just going to see what happens.

isnt it amazing how the only argument RM supporters have is “he’s not AL”

1960AutumnWind

RM was either lying or delusional when he said that. It was an over reaction to strip the team to clean up the cap or to save MD cash both years. At least in 12 he did keep some so we would not go 1-15 or something worse

https://twitter.com/MimiPeepeechimi Just Fire Baby

The audible helped the play-call and Mattaroni gets credit for that, but the quick cutback, breaking the tackle and outrunning the secondary had nothing to do with McGloin.

AutumnThunderstorm

Per Sunday blitz on national football post website,
Raiders whether they keep DA or not, are interested in a veteran qb in the FA market.

https://twitter.com/MimiPeepeechimi Just Fire Baby

Flynn has the better winning % this year.

SnBG

Dr Phil here.

Hows that coach firering been working for you?

AutumnThunderstorm

Actually, yes.

my opinion

didnt kap rush for like 200 yda to beat gbay and get thwm to the super bowl. Tp and mcg have played 2 like teams. sd and kc, tp had a better game in both. and against kc tps oline was in shambles.

http://www.cosmicdanceband.com/ SilverandBlack666

I kept telling these dorks that a community college accounting student could cut the fat contracts and get us under cap…..The hard part is bringing in winners building the team and getting talent in Oakland.

He has no impact players in 2 drafts he needs 2 in this draft if you ask me to save his job and he has to hit a home run with a free agent in 2014 as well.

https://twitter.com/MimiPeepeechimi Just Fire Baby

With “atrocious” pass blocking, average at best running game, and an average defense, they sill manage to win the division in back to back years. Rather easily.
Hmmmmm……….

the authoritative dr robert

Yep. Now they will say “not with the raiders”.

Of course he didn’t get more than one game.

The Pryor stupidity knows no bounds.

While Flynn may not be great, anyone with any sense can see he’s better than Pryor.

I mean he’s the top rated passer for the raiders this year.

https://twitter.com/MimiPeepeechimi Just Fire Baby

Tafur has brought up many times that we want Freeman, which is rather sickening.

1960AutumnWind

Trade Reece and jones for a7th rounder and let Velhdeer walk? Honestly would not surprise me.

AutumnThunderstorm

What were they going to say, we are losers and we will finish 0-16, let’s not even try.
Maybe Amy is the reason AL lost it the 10 years.

SnBG

Got to love Amy. out there sour graping it

https://twitter.com/MimiPeepeechimi Just Fire Baby

new post

SnBG

Bill O Brien has said to his staff. Get ready to go to Houston.

EDWARD TEACH

The blame for falling for it goes to the Gruden zealots, though. The media may be insufferable sometimes, but they’re not stupid.

NYCRaider

The only fact your not giving RM credit for is installing computers.

the authoritative dr robert

I watched the first half of that Louisville-Miami game last night.

I still have some issues with bridgewaters delivery but he threw some nice passes and seems to be accurate.

SnBG

Greg Roman wants to go to Detroit. Not the Raiders.

http://www.cosmicdanceband.com/ SilverandBlack666

Reggie would let Velhdeer walk and claim that Watson is a viable replacement.

the authoritative dr robert

Morris has gone from sneaking into the first round to being a low rounder.

https://twitter.com/MimiPeepeechimi Just Fire Baby

Morris is awful.

1960AutumnWind

My question is this fully his choice? He has been given a really bad hand kind of like a 15 in blackjack

AutumnThunderstorm

Actually everyone was, even Houston wasn’t eliminated until a couple weeks after Thanksgiving.

http://www.cosmicdanceband.com/ SilverandBlack666

We are 4-11 doesn’t really matter to me which QB gets “More” blame than the other I will leave that for the blog dweebs to debate….its obvious to me we are weak at the QB position.

the authoritative dr robert

There’s a lot of questionable decisions.

Whoever chose Pryor as our qb needs to be fired.

the authoritative dr robert

Pros should’ve known if I did.

http://www.cosmicdanceband.com/ SilverandBlack666

But seriously who cant hire an IT staff in the Bay Area…..

http://www.cosmicdanceband.com/ SilverandBlack666

Even if you hate Carson Palmer you have to admit that Reggie made a mistake we were 8th in the league in passing and went to dead last midway through this season to save 3.5 million dollars on the QB position.

It was a horrible GM move period even if you hate Palmer.

SnBG

So we fire Allen then go out and ask Roman if he would like to coach for us.
Nope

How about O Brien?
Nope
How about you Lovie?
Are you nuts. Come to a team that fires coaches every to years. Nope
Doesn’t sound like Oakland is going to fire Allen.

SnBG

I liked Palmer. Wish he had stayed. Dude worked hard.

willy91137

I think they will announce a new president and have him fire the coach it’s glad to have you aboard now please fire the coach and Mark looks over at Reggie and says you better get some good players in here this year you are next

willy91137

you have to giveGM three years and after not winning after three years they fire the GM in Kansas City brought in a new one and he inherited all the work from the one that was fired they fired Tony D and Tampa Bay and and John Gruden inherited the best defense in the NFL at that time so be careful what you wish for owned my own business for 23 years I had to fire people and lay people off when things got bad it not a fun thing to do such that married man with a couple kids

TrevJo

Yes

SnBG

Mark, it is rumored wanted to fire Allen after last year which shows he is really a idiot. If he fires Allen now then he should sell the team because we will never go anywhere as long as the Davis family owns the team. After all, he hired Reg, who in turn hired Allen. Why would I trust him to make any decent football decisions.